This year has had a slow start to fire season across the state. This has been in part to dry conditions not aligning with environmental conditions. As a result, fire weather concerns have been marginal and there have been fewer than normal large fires across the state. Unfortunately, conditions are changing as several wind events are forecasted for the coming days combined with very dry air. Therefore, it’s important to understand the different types of fire weather products issued by the National Weather Service as they are issued in the coming days: Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches.
A Red Flag Warning is issued for critical fire danger and signifies that those weather conditions are occurring, or will occur shortly. These critical weather conditions consist of a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures – all of which make fire suppression very challenging. Thresholds for these warnings vary by your local associated NWS forecast office.
A Fire Weather Watch is issued in advance of critical fire danger. These Watches signify the forecasted possibility of critical fire weather occurring in the next 24-48 hours. Some offices issue these more than others. These Watches are meant to provide you advance notice so that you can take proper precautions and/or make better decisions based upon these forecasts.
Categories: North Dakota, Weather